Department for Transport

Taxis: Dogs

Christine Jardine: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will raise awareness of the requirement on taxis and private hire vehicles not to refuse carriage to assistance dog owners.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Assistance dogs perform a vital role for their owners, helping them to go about their lives independently, confidently and with dignity, and it is unacceptable that a minority of taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers continue to refuse their carriage. We plan to issue for consultation this year draft revised best practice guidance for local licensing authorities (LLAs), including strengthened recommendations on the provision of an inclusive service. It is our intention that the guidance will encourage LLAs to ensure that taxi and PHV drivers understand their legal duty to carry assistance dogs, and that non-compliance is addressed effectively.

Heathrow Airport

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he or the Civil Aviation Authority have received from the operators of Heathrow Airport on the effect of expansion at Heathrow on the company's Regulated Asset Base.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Secretary of State for Transport and the CAA regularly meet with Heathrow Airport Limited to discuss a number of issues, including the preference for expansion via a new Northwest Runway at Heathrow Airport. The period of further consultation on the revised draft Airports National Policy Statement has now closed, and the Department will consider all responses made to both periods of consultations before deciding on next steps. The CAA has also started the process to define the shape and nature of a regulatory settlement, including examining the potential impacts of any expansion. It has done so through a series of public consultations, the latest CAP1610 is currently out for comment. Lastly, The Airports Commission considered the effects of expansion on Heathrow’s Regulatory Asset Base as part of its assessment of financeability. The Government subsequently validated that work.

Heathrow Airport

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the financial value of new runway capacity at (a) Heathrow and (b) elsewhere to the UK economy.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: As part of its work, the independent Airports Commission shortlisted three schemes for airport expansion, two at Heathrow and one at Gatwick, following analysis of more than fifty proposals to meet the UK’s long term capacity needs. On 25 October 2016, the Government announced that it accepted the Commission’s recommendation for a new north-west runway at Heathrow Airport as its preferred option to deliver airport expansion in the south-east by 2030. The Department has undertaken an economic assessment of the impact of a new runway at Heathrow at a national level, taking account of changes in connectivity across the UK and beyond, which shows significant economic benefits of up to £74 billion. The same assessments are included for the Heathrow Extended Northern Runway and Gatwick Second Runway schemes in the Updated Appraisal Report published alongside the Revised Draft Airports National Policy Statement in October 2017.

Heathrow Airport

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussion he has had with the (a) Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (b)  Department for International Trade on the route network operated at Heathrow and any changes to that network to be made as result of that airport's expansion.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: There has been no recent discussion between the Secretary of State for Transport and either the FCO or the DIT on this topic. The revised draft Airports National Policy Statement sets out that the government expects an expanded Heathrow Airport to include at least fourteen domestic routes, compared to the eight routes currently in operation and to support the development of long haul routes to and from the UK, especially to emerging and developing markets.

Aviation: Exhaust Emissions

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures his Department assesses are required to keep aviation emissions to 37.5MegaTonnes as modelled in the 4th and 5th carbon budgets.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Government remains open to considering all feasible measures to ensure that the aviation sector contributes fairly to UK emissions reductions, and is committed to meeting its emissions reduction targets under the Climate Change Act. There are a range of measures available to reduce carbon emissions from aviation, including biofuels, airspace reform and improvements in technology. As mentioned in the Clean Growth Strategy, the Government will set out its strategic approach to the aviation sector in a series of consultations leading to the publication of a new Aviation Strategy for the UK. The Strategy will consider what the best approach and combination of policy measures are to ensure we effectively address carbon emissions from aviation.

Heathrow Airport: Exhaust Emissions

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of a third runway at Heathrow on the ability of the Government to meet the 2050 emissions reductions required under the Climate Change Act 2008.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: As noted in the Revised Draft Airports National Policy Statement, the Government agrees with the Airports Commission’s assessment that a new runway at Heathrow could be delivered within the UK’s climate change obligations. The Updated Appraisal Report, published alongside the Revised Draft Airports National Policy Statement in October 2017, presents updated carbon scenarios using latest passenger forecasts.

Heathrow Airport

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of a third runway at Heathrow Airport on (a) noise and (b) air quality in West London.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Appraisal of Sustainability that accompanies the revised draft Airports National Policy Statement provides a strategic level assessment of the potential social, economic, and environmental impacts of expansion, including on noise and air quality. Should the revised draft Airports National Policy Statement be designated, then it would be for the promoter to undertake a detailed assessment of the noise and air quality impacts of the scheme, and put forward an appropriate package of mitigation measures.

Heathrow Airport

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of expansion at Heathrow Airport on (a) passenger numbers on the Piccadilly Line and (b) congestion on the (i) strategic and (ii) local road network.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Airports Commission undertook a range of detailed assessments to support its Final Report published in July 2015. The analysis included a detailed assessment of transport network impacts for each of the Commission’s three short-listed options. Copies of the Commission’s Surface Access: Dynamic Modelling Report, it’s Local and Strategic Roads Modelling Study for the Heathrow Airport North West Runway Proposals, and the Commission’s Freight Impact Study were published alongside its Final Report, and are available online from the Commission website. As part of the surface access requirements in the draft Airports National Policy Statement, Government has specified that any applicant for development consent should set out the mitigation measures that it considers are required to minimise and mitigate the effect of expansion on existing surface access arrangements.

Heathrow Airport

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of additional daily trips on the public transport network arising from expansion at Heathrow Airport.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: In October 2017 the Department published within its Updated Appraisal Report: Airport Capacity in the South East, details of the estimated surface access trips for both highway and public transport trips for each of the airport expansion options as inputs to its non-flight carbon assessment. Details of the estimates for annual public transport trips for the Heathrow Airport options are set out in the following table:  Annual public transport trips by passengers and employees at Heathrow, DfT17 central forecasts (millions)  Public transport trips 2026203020402050No Expansion41.343.648.853.4LHR Extended Northern Runway51.158.164.570.4LHR Northwest Runway51.160.166.673.4 Source: Department for Transport: Table A.4 Updated Appraisal Report: Airport Capacity in the South East (October 2017) As part of the surface access requirements in the draft Airports National Policy Statement, Government has specified that any applicant must submit a surface access strategy as part of any Development Consent Order application.

Heathrow Airport

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effects on residents (a) during and (b) after the construction of a third runway at Heathrow on the (i) physical and (ii) mental health of those residents living (a) near that airport and (b) under the proposed new flightpath.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Alongside the publication of the Draft Airports National Policy Statement on 2 February 2017, the Department also published an Appraisal of Sustainability and Health Impact Analysis. The Department’s assessment of the potential impacts of a new runway at Heathrow on health are set out in those documents.

Heathrow Airport

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to undertake a full Health Impact Assessment on the proposed construction of a third runway at Heathrow.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Alongside the publication of the Draft Airports National Policy Statement on 2 February 2017, the Department also published an Appraisal of Sustainability and Health Impact Analysis. The Department’s strategic assessment of the potential impacts of a new runway at Heathrow on health are set out in those documents. Should the revised draft Airports National Policy Statement be designated, then it would be for the scheme promoter to undertake a detailed assessment of health impacts, and put forward an appropriate package of mitigation measures.

Shipping: Training

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2017 to Question 117855, on shipping: qualifications, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the statement made by the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport at the European Commission in respect of seafarers' training on 11 December 2017; and if he will make a statement.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The statement issued by the European Commission on seafarers training relates to European Union legislation which builds upon the international Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Convention. It clarifies that the UK will no longer be a Member State for the purposes of the legislation after we leave the EU, but that provision exists in the legislation for continued recognition of certificates issued by third countries.The UK is seeking to agree the continued recognition of professional qualifications, including licences and certificates.

Parking

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing local residents to pay for parking restrictions in a road where the relevant local authority has agreed a need but the project is awaiting an allocation of funding.

Jesse Norman: No such assessment has been made. Local authorities have a network management duty to ensure parking provisions and restrictions are made as required. It is a matter for them to decide and fund what is needed.

Aviation: South East

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is the publication of proposed flight paths for a new runway in the South East.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: It is for Heathrow Airport Limited to determine the timing for publishing proposed new flightpaths for formal consultation while following the steps required by the Civil Aviation Authority’s airspace change process. Heathrow Airport Limited have recently announced plans to hold a public consultation on the expansion of the airport, including on principles for airspace design, and this will run from 17 January to 28 March 2018.

Air Routes

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is his policy to promote air traffic routes according to their capacity to promote (a) business and (b) diplomatic relationships.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Our policy is to liberalise air services by seeking to remove barriers to market entry and doing business, thereby enabling airlines and airports to deliver choice and connectivity for UK passengers and businesses.

Department for Transport: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the (a) amount of time and (b) resources that his Department allocated to the production of impact assessments on the UK leaving the EU; and on what date work on those impact assessments started.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Impact Assessments, typically related to specific new primary legislation before Parliament, are narrowly defined. For example, the Government laid an impact assessment alongside the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, which can be found on our website. Civil servants conduct any Impact Assessments related to legislation as business as usual. Our broader analysis continues.

Department for Transport: Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by his Department in each month since May 2010; which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended; and what the net cost to (A) the public purse; and (B) business of those regulations is.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: A table giving the titles of new and amended regulations which have been introduced by the department since May 2010 and indicating which of those have been revoked is attached. All regulations that regulated or deregulated business were subject to the one-in, one-out rule from January 2011 and subsequently the one-in, two-out rule from January 2013. The changes to regulations affecting business during the 2010-15 Parliament are recorded in Statements of New Regulation that were published every six months and which included accounts of departments’ performance against the one-in, one-out/one-in, two-out rule. These are available on:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/one-in-two-out-statement-of-new-regulation For the 2015-17 Parliament, the Government will shortly publish its final report on the savings to business delivered during that Parliament. Estimates of the cost of regulation to the private sector and the public purse are detailed in the Impact Assessments which are published on the legislation.gov.uk website. The table listing regulations includes links to the relevant Impact Assessments. These Impact Assessments show the expected public sector costs and costs to business of each of those regulations. 



120889 - Regs introduced by DfT since May 2010
(Word Document, 112.88 KB)

Department for Transport: Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which EU (a) Directives, (b) Regulations and (c) other legislation affecting his Department he is planning to propose the (i) revocation and (ii) amendment of after the UK leaves the EU.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will retain EU law as it applies in the UK on exit day. We expect between 800 and 1000 statutory instruments will be required across Government to correct this retained EU law to ensure the statute book functions appropriately outside the EU. All Departments are engaged in this process. Once we leave the EU, we will make our own laws. As we leave the EU, the Government’s EU exit legislative programme is designed to cater for the full range of negotiated and non-negotiated outcomes.

Department for Transport: Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what processes his Department has put in place to (a) monitor, (b) collate cost information on, (c) review and (d) respond to requests to amend or revoke regulations introduced by his Department.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Department is committed to maintaining a proportionate approach to regulation to enable business growth while maintaining public protections. This will be monitored through the Business Impact Target that the Government is required to set under the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015. All new policies, programmes and projects are subject to a proportionate assessment of their impact. Where there is a statutory review clause a report of the findings of the review will be published on the Gov.uk website. The Department always welcomes practical suggestions on how to improve or reduce the burden of regulation.

Maritime Law: Greater London

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to maintain London's position as an international centre for maritime dispute resolution after the UK leaves the EU.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Government recognises the pre-eminent position that the UK enjoys in matters of maritime dispute resolution and is in regular dialogue with industry to ensure London’s global maritime position is maintained.

European Maritime Safety Agency

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to maintain UK membership of the European Maritime Safety Agency after the UK leaves the EU.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The government is considering carefully how best to continue collaborating with our European partners on maritime safety, security and environmental issues, including our continued engagement with the European Maritime Safety Agency.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Industry: Morecambe Bay

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if the Government will recognise the partnership formed by local authorities in Lancaster, the South Lakes and Barrow in Furness to allow that partnership to develop its own local industrial strategy for the area served by the Morecambe Bay Economic Initiative.

Andrew Griffiths: We will work in partnership with places to develop Local Industrial Strategies, which will be developed locally and agreed with government. We will agree the first Local Industrial Strategies by March 2019. As we set out in the Industrial Strategy White Paper, Local Industrial Strategies will establish new ways of working between national and local leaders in both the public and private sectors. I have been encouraged by the enthusiasm local areas have shown for Local Industrial Strategies. Places in England with a Mayoral Combined Authority will have a single strategy led by the mayor and supported by Local Enterprise Partnerships. For parts of the country without a mayor, the development of the strategy will be led by the Local Enterprise Partnership.

Energy: Prices

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reasons his Department's impact assessment on the Draft Domestic Gas and Electricity (Tariff Cap) Bill does not include analysis of the impact of the Pre-Payment Cap or retail price controls elsewhere.

Andrew Griffiths: The Impact Assessment sets out clearly the rationale for introducing a cap. Analysis of the impact of the Pre-Payment Cap and retail price controls elsewhere will be of most relevance when the methodology for setting the cap is considered by Ofgem, but the Government will consider what might be relevant to include on this at the final legislation stage.

Renewable Energy

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much planned additional renewable energy capacity is estimated for each of the next five years, broken down by sector.

Richard Harrington: In setting out the Control for Low Carbon Levies commitment*, the Government estimated the generation capacity of renewable electricity technologies supported by policies every year to 2024/2025. Supported renewable electricity capacity is estimated to rise from 35.17GW in 2016/17 to 46.80GW in 2022/2023.The Government response to the consultation on reforms to the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) gives estimates of renewable generation by technology to 2020/21**. The Government policy to increase the share of biofuels in the UK energy mix, to 2032, is set out in the Government Response to its consultation on amendments to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations Order***.Additional renewable energy, unsupported by government policies, is also likely to come online over the next five years.* page 5, table 1.B: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/660986/Control_for_Low_Carbon_Levies_web.pdf ** RHI Impact assessment, page 22, Table 6: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-renewable-heat-incentive-a-reformed-and-refocused-scheme ***https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewable-transport-fuel-obligations-order-government-response

Consumers

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of whether markets have been found to act against consumer interests.

Andrew Griffiths: We will issue a Consumer Green Paper in due course that will tackle areas where markets are not working for consumers.

Retail Trade: Internet

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that businesses make terms and conditions of online purchases clearer.

Andrew Griffiths: The Government is currently exploring how best to encourage businesses to apply terms and conditions which are jargon free and can be more easily engaged with by consumers. This includes the use of model terms and conditions.

Nuclear Fusion: Research

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what funding his Department has allocated to nuclear fusion research to 29 March 2019.

Richard Harrington: The UK’s publicly funded fusion research is led by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). UKAEA receives grant funding for fusion research from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (£26.1m in 2017/18 and £27.0m in 2018/19). This includes the UK’s share of costs for the Joint European Torus (JET), based in Oxfordshire. The remainder of costs for JET are provided by the Euratom Research and Training Programme. UK Research Council funding is provided from the BEIS budget. In December 2017 the Government announced an £86m investment to establish a National Fusion Technology Platform, aimed at supporting UK industry in obtaining contracts for international nuclear fusion projects. BEIS has also allocated funding for an upgrade to the domestic fusion project, MAST (£2.5m 17/18). The UK is a world leader in nuclear R&D and the Government is committed to maintaining and building on our excellence in this important field.

Fracking: Climate Change

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of shale gas extraction with the domestic and international climate change commitments; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Harrington: The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) concluded that shale gas production at a significant scale is compatible with carbon budgets if certain conditions are met, which the Committee have set out as three “tests”. We believe that our robust regulatory regime and determination to meet our carbon budgets mean those three tests can and will be met.The Government’s response to the CCC Report can be viewed through the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/651148/20171005_-_Progress_report_response.pdf.

Energy: Disability

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to support disabled people with high energy costs.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 10 January 2018



The Government provides £140 a year for over 2 million low income households through the Warm Home Discount, between £100-£300 a year for pensioners through Winter Fuel Payments, and £25 a week for low income and vulnerable households during a cold snap through Cold Weather Payments.Households on disability allowance are eligible for Energy Company Obligation (ECO) support if a Local Authority declares them as fuel poor or on a low income and vulnerable to cold, via a flexible eligibility declaration.Households on pre-payment meters are already protected by a price cap that came into effect in April 2017. Ofgem is committed to extend this to a further one million vulnerable households from 02 Feb 2018 and change the rules to allow customers to roll onto cheaper fixed term deals instead of expensive standard variable tariffs. This will mean that for the first time over 5 million households will be protected this winter.The Department also provides around £1million funding a year for the Big Energy Saving Network (BESN). This is a joint programme, run with National Energy Action, to fund and train energy champions from third sector organisations. Funded champions deliver face-to-face support to vulnerable energy consumers, including disabled consumers to reduce their energy bills by switching tariffs and/or supplier. BESN has reached over 500,000 vulnerable consumers since 2013.

Oil and Gas Authority

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the Oil and Gas Authority's remit to maximise the economic recovery of the UK's oil and gas resources with the responsibility given in the 30 November 2017 Direction to the Oil and Gas Authority, to take account of whether the conditions in section 4A of the Petroleum Act 1998 are met; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Harrington: The Department has not conferred general responsibility on the Oil and Gas Authority to assess the conditions set out in section 4A of the Petroleum Act 1998. The direction[1] of 30 November 2017 only applies in limited circumstances (i.e. to certain wells not captured by the requirement to seek Hydraulic Fracturing Consent) to address a loophole, as set out in the accompanying Written Ministerial Statement[2]. Where it does apply, the duty on the Oil and Gas Authority must take account of the Department’s view on the matters, as set out in paragraphs 4 and 5 of the direction. [1]https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/663909/171129_Direction_to_the_Oil_and_Gas_Authority.pdf [2]http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2017-11-29/HCWS288/

Fracking: Ryedale

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Direction to the Oil and Gas Authority of 30 November 2017, relating to consent for fracking operations at the KM8 well in Ryedale, what the timetable is for his consultation with the Oil and Gas Authority; and if he will publish his recommendation to the Oil and Gas Authority on the hydraulic fracturing consent conditions required under section 4A of the Petroleum Act 1998 when that recommendation is made.

Richard Harrington: There no set timeframe for the Department to provide its response to the Oil and Gas Authority in this instance. The Department is carefully considering the evidence provided by Third Energy and will respond appropriately in due course.

Post Offices

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many Community Post Offices in each Parliamentary constituency receive funding from the public purse.

Andrew Griffiths: The Post Office is modernising and improving its national network, with thousands of branches benefitting from investment under the Government funded Network Transformation programme. This programme has already seen over 7,000 of the network’s branches modernised, delivering benefits to customers, including much longer opening hours and improved branch environments. It has also seen around 3,000 branches designated as ‘Community Branches’. These are typically ‘the last shop or service in a village or community’, providing vital access to Post Office services in areas which are mostly remote, rural or urban deprived. Community Branches are benefitting from continuing to receive a fixed element of remuneration from Post Office, and do not receive Government funding directly. Additionally, these branches have also had access to a £20m Government funded Community Branch Fund, to provide them with investment to help support their long-term sustainability.

Post Offices: Closures

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many (a) main post offices, (b) local post offices and (c) community post offices have closed as a result of network transformation.

Andrew Griffiths: The provision and location of post offices is the responsibility of Post Office Limited. I have asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member on this matter to provide the information requested. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Fraud

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many cases of fraud have been detected in the management of (a) main post offices, (b) local post offices and (c) community post offices in each year for which figures are available.

Andrew Griffiths: Monitoring and management of fraud is the responsibility of Post Office Limited. I have asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Fraud

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will list all cases of fraud or theft greater than £50,000 detected within the management of UK Post Offices in each year for which figures are available.

Andrew Griffiths: Fraud detection and monitoring theft is the responsibility of Post Office Limited. I have asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the customer satisfaction levels (a) before and (b) after the transfer of Crown post offices to private sector management.

Andrew Griffiths: Monitoring customer satisfaction and service performance is the responsibility of Post Office Limited. I have asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Staff

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department  has taken to recognise and reward long-term service and loyalty of postmasters.

Andrew Griffiths: Contractual arrangements with its postmasters, including remuneration and reward arrangements, is the responsibility of Post Office Limited. I have asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Training

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the average amount spent by his Department on training new entrant post-masters in each of the last ten years.

Andrew Griffiths: Training of its postmasters is the responsibility of Post Office Limited. I have asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member on this matter and provide the information requested. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Sudan: Armed Conflict

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Sudan on the Nuba Mountains.

Harriett Baldwin: The UK Government continues to urge the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) to immediately resume negotiations to agree a permanent ceasefire and a humanitarian agreement. During the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue (16 October), we welcomed the Sudanese Government's extension of their unilateral cessation of hostilities and urged them to extend it further. We have welcomed their acceptance of the US proposal to provide humanitarian aid to the Two Areas (South Kordofan, where the Nuba Mountains are located, and Blue Nile). We continue to urge the SPLM-N to immediately agree to the US proposal.

Diplomatic Service

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in how many states does the UK  (a) not have consular representation and (b) have consular representation for UK citizens provided for by consular authorities of another EU member state.

Harriett Baldwin: The UK does not have consular representation in 48 nation states. Under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) Article 23, EU Member States should provide consular assistance to EU citizens not represented by their own state, in third countries, on the same basis as their own nationals. We do not hold reliable data about where other EU member states assist UK citizens. In many of these 48 states, the UK also has local, bilateral agreements with non-EU international partners to ensure unrepresented UK nationals have access to consular assistance.

Embassies

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many new embassies and consulates the Government anticipates it will need to establish if the UK can no longer be represented by another EU member state when the UK leaves the EU.

Sir Alan Duncan: We do not anticipate any requirement to open additional embassies or consulates as a result of EU Exit.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Sick Leave

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many and what proportion of officials in his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in the last year; and what proportion of total sick leave in his Department that leave was.

Sir Alan Duncan: From 1 January to 31 December​ 2017, 48 members of FCO UK-based staff recorded stress as a reason for sickness absence. This equates to 1% of the total UK-based headcount figure as of 31 December 2017 (4,521); and to 9.5% of the total recorded sickness absence in 2017.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Sick Leave

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many days' sick leave officials in his Department took for reasons relating to stress in the last year.

Sir Alan Duncan: From 1 January to 31 December 2017, a total of 1,389 days of sickness absence were recorded by FCO UK-based staff for reasons related to stress. This equates to an average of 0.31 days per person in 2017.​

Burma: Political Prisoners

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to Aung San Suu Kyi on the continued detention of political prisoners in Myanmar.

Mark Field: ​The Foreign Secretary has not recently made representations on the continued detention of political prisoners in Burma.Our Ambassador, however, has raised the issue of political prisoners on several occasions with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and her ministers over recent months. Since her government took office in April 2016, at least 160 political prisoners have been released. However, we estimate there are still 47 political prisoners. The UK will continue to call for their release.

Burma: Rohingya

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last spoke to the State Counsellor of Burma in respect of her role in the Rohingya crisis.

Mark Field: The Foreign Secretary last spoke with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on 21 October 2017. He raised his concerns about ongoing violence including vigilante attacks, and called on her government to make progress on facilitating refugee return and access for the UN Fact Finding mission. The Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific raised concerns over the Rohingya crisis in a meeting chaired by Aung Sun Suu Kyi on 21 November 2017, as part of the Asia Europe Meeting of Foreign Ministers. Our Ambassador in Burma discussed the issue with her again on 5 December.

Lebanon: Politics and Government

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Saad Hariri and (b) Hezbollah on securing a stable government for Lebanon.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign Secretary has not had any recent discussions with Prime Minister Saad Hariri.On 8 December 2017, I met Prime Minister Hariri at the International Support Group for Lebanon in Paris and made clear that the UK wants to see a stable, sovereign and prosperous Lebanon. We believe that this can only be based on coexistence, true disassociation from regional conflicts, and the disarmament of all militias so that no one party can hold the country's stability or politics hostage. The UK has a no contact policy with Hezballah.

Syria: Diplomatic Relations

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the timetable is for the (a) re-establishment of full diplomatic relations with the Government of Syria including (b) re-opening the British Embassy in Damascus.

Alistair Burt: The British Government has not severed diplomatic relations with Syria. Since the withdrawal of our staff from the British Embassy in Damascus in February 2012 and the closure of the Syrian Embassy in London in August 2012, our dealings have been minimal and only in relation to essential consular or administration issues. There is no plan to change this. The UK believes the Asad regime has lost its legitimacy due to its atrocities against the Syrian people and that a sustainable political settlement in Syria ultimately requires a political transition away from the current regime.

Colombia: Human Rights

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart on (a) offering a date-specific official invitation  to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders to visit Colombia and (b) ensuring that the mandate of the UN mission to Colombia with regards to the monitoring the human rights situation is maintained.

Sir Alan Duncan: We encourage the Colombian Government to invite the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights to visit Colombia.At the request of the Colombian Government, the UK led negotiations which resulted in UNSC resolution 2377. The resolution establishes the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia to monitor and verify the implementation of the Peace Agreement with the FARC. I support the work of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Colombia, which monitors the human rights situation and works closely with the UN Mission. On 20 December 2017, I announced that the OHCHR would be included in a package of additional UK support to the Peace Process in Colombia. ​

North Korea: Nuclear Weapons

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Russian counterpart on the situation in North Korea; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Field: ​The Foreign Secretary met Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on 22 December 2017 in Moscow. They discussed how best to work together, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, in tackling global security issues such as North Korea. On the same day, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted UNSCR 2379 on the DPRK, showing once again that the international community remains united in its condemnation of DPRK's reckless and destabilising actions. Ensuring full implementation of UNSCR 2379, and other UN resolutions, is now the priority.

North Korea: Nuclear Weapons

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of UN Security Council sanctions in encouraging North Korea to cease its nuclear activities.

Mark Field: The unanimous adoption of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions on North Korea, most recently UNSCR 2397 demonstrates that the international community will not accept its illegal nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. The sanctions now in place significantly reduce the export revenues the regime uses to fund its illegal programmes.There is evidence that the impact of these measures are increasingly being felt by the Kim regime.

North Korea: UN Resolutions

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the UK's Permanent Ambassador to the UN on the most recent UN Security Council resolution on North Korea.

Mark Field: The UK welcomes the unanimous adoption of the latest UN Security Council resolution on North Korea (UNSCR 2397). The international community has once again shown it is united in its condemnation of North Korea's reckless and destabilising actions. This resolution further reduces the revenues North Korea uses to fund its illegal nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.The Foreign Secretary and I followed the process of agreeing this tough new resolution closely. Our officials in Whitehall and the UK Mission to the United Nations also worked closely together to deliver this resolution. We will continue to work with our allies and international partners to increase diplomatic pressure on the DPRK to choose a better path.

Department for International Development

Department for International Development: Sick Leave

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many and what proportion of officials in her Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in the last year; and what proportion of total sick leave in her Department that leave was.

Harriett Baldwin: In the period January to December 2017, 68 DFID employees declared a sick absence with the reasons of stress, anxiety and/or depression. The total sick leave absence equates to 2.6% of DFID’s overall employer complement and 17.6% of DFID’s total sick absence.

Department for International Development: Sick Leave

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many days' sick leave officials in her Department took for reasons relating to stress in the last year.

Harriett Baldwin: In the period January to December 2017 1,669 days have been recorded as sick absence with the potential to relate to stress.

Department for International Development: Sick Leave

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what was the cost to her Department of officials taking sick leave in the last year.

Harriett Baldwin: The estimated cost of sick absence for DFID for the period January to December 2017 was £231,000.

Slavery

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to her Department's policy paper, Call to Action to End Forced Labour, Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, published on 20 September 2017, what progress has been made on tackling the issues covered in that paper.

Alistair Burt: Tackling modern slavery both at home and abroad is a cross-government priority. The UK is pleased that 41 countries have so far endorsed the Call to Action launched by the Prime Minister, the UN Secretary General and world leaders at the UN General Assembly last year, and will continue to push for more country endorsements and ensure that it delivers action on the ground.The Prime Minister has committed to double ODA spend on modern slavery to £150 million. Recently the Secretary of State for International Development announced £40 million of this funding, which will help over 500,000 vulnerable men, women and children. We have also been working with high prevalence countries and source countries to the UK to identify how we can support them to tackle modern slavery as well as working to build support within multilateral institutions.At home, the government has introduced a comprehensive legal framework through the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It is having a real impact and we are now seeing the first convictions for the new offences within the Act. We have also recently announced proposals to increase support for victims identified in the UK through a reform of the National Referral Mechanism – the system which identifies and supports victims of modern slavery.

Puerto Rico: Storms

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department has provided to Puerto Rico to assist with the reconnection of water and electricity as a result of the storms of September 2017.

Harriett Baldwin: Puerto Rico is an American territory, and, as such, was not a focus of our relief and recovery efforts. DFID does not have a bilateral aid programme or presence there.In response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the UK has provided over £185m of humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to our Overseas Territories and independent Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean.

Department for International Development: Bell Pottinger Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2017 to Question 117786, if she will answer that question with reference to all forms of representation, not only face-to-face meetings.

Harriett Baldwin: We do not have any records of any such representations from Bell Pottinger on behalf of (a) Atos IT Services UK Limited, (b) Centrica PLC, (c) Ernst & Young and (d) Monarch Holdings Limited.

Department for Education

Department for Education: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the (a) amount of time and (b) resources that her Department allocated to the production of impact assessments on the UK leaving the EU; and on what date work on those impact assessments started.

Nadhim Zahawi: Impact assessments, typically related to specific new primary legislation before Parliament, are narrowly defined. For example, the government laid an impact assessment alongside the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, which can be found at GOV.UK.Civil servants conduct any impact assessments related to legislation as business as usual. Our broader analysis continues.

Department for Education: Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by her Department in each month since May 2010; which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended; and what the net cost to (A) the public purse; and (B) business of those regulations is.

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what processes her Department has put in place to (a) monitor, (b) collate cost information on, (c) review and (d) respond to requests to amend or revoke regulations introduced by her Department.

Nadhim Zahawi: The attached spreadsheet lists every regulation introduced by the department since May 2010, ordered by year (see tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet), and indicates which of these regulations have been amended, and which have been revoked (including partial revocations and pending amendments). As requested, these regulations have been ordered by month. In the absence of further instructions, they have been ordered by the month in which they came into force (commencement date).  The changes to regulations affecting business during the 2010-15 parliament made by the department, and the associated costs or savings, are recorded in ‘Statements of New Regulation’ that were published every six months. These are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/one-in-two-out-statement-of-new-regulation. During the 2010-15 parliament, the department made five changes to regulation which had a total cost to business of £2.8 million, and made 16 deregulatory changes which had a total saving to business of £13.54 million, a net saving of £10.74 million. Any costs arising for the public sector are calculated in line with the guidance in the ‘Better Regulation Framework Manual’. For the 2015-17 Parliament, the government will shortly publish its final report on the savings to business delivered during that parliament. For the current parliament, the government is committed to maintaining a proportionate approach to regulation to enable business growth while maintaining public protections. This will be monitored through the target that the government is required to set under the ‘Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015’. In line with the government’s Principles of Regulation, regulations are not introduced or amended unless the department has demonstrated that satisfactory outcomes cannot be achieved by alternative approaches, that the regulatory approach is substantially superior to alternative approaches, and that the regulation and its enforcement framework can be implemented in a proportionate, accountable, consistent, transparent and targeted manner. The government has published guidance for departments on the statutory requirement that all new regulations contain a requirement for a review at a suitable point after their implementation. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/small-business-enterprise-and-employment-act-statutory-review-requirements. The department has issued advice to its officials to explain and reinforce the statutory guidance. The impact assessment for a new regulation should set out the plan for a post-implementation review of the measure, typically within five years of it coming into force. The review should assess if the objectives of the regulation were achieved, remain valid and relevant, and whether they could be achieved in a less burdensome way.  



Spreadsheet of regulations since 2010
(Excel SpreadSheet, 53.32 KB)

English Language: Education

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to work with English as Second Language providers to ensure that refugee women with child caring responsibilities are able to access classes.

Anne Milton: In 2016/17, the Department for Education supported 114,100 adult learners, including refugees, to improve their levels of English through fully and part-funded English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses. 67% of these learners were women. These courses were funded through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), which also provides additional support for all learners, including refugee women, who face specific financial hardship, which can be used to cover childcare costs, for those aged 20 years or over on the first day of learning.The government has made available £10 million for additional English language training and support for refugees resettled under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme to help them integrate into British society. This is jointly funded by the Department for Education and the Home Office. A proportion of the additional ESOL funding (25%) can be used to increase ESOL infrastructure and future participation rates, including supporting activities that help overcome accessibility barriers, such as the provision of childcare facilities.In addition, all families in England, including refugees, with children aged 3 and 4 are eligible for 15 hours a week of free early education. Since September 2017 working parents of 3 and 4-year olds, including refugee parents, are also eligible for an additional 15 hours of early education, provided they meet certain income criteria.

Ministry of Justice

Prisons: Smoking

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will pause the roll-out of the smoke-free prison scheme in the light of the judgement of the Supreme Court of 19 December 2017 on smoking in prisons.

Rory Stewart: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Prisons: Staff

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on how many occasions wings of publicly-owned prisons have been closed due to insufficient staff levels in the last 12 months.

Rory Stewart: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Legal Aid Scheme

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2017 to Question 118802, what other institutions referred to in that answer will provide data for the Post-Implementation Review of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012; and what data will be provided.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ministry of Justice: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the (a) amount of time and (b) resources that his Department allocated to the production of impact assessments on the UK leaving the EU; and on what date work on those impact assessments started.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ministry of Justice: EU Law

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which EU (a) Directives, (b) Regulations and (c) other legislation affecting his Department he is planning to propose (i) revocation and (ii) amendment of after the UK leaves the EU.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ministry of Justice: Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what processes his Department has put in place to (a) monitor, (b) collate cost information on, (c) review and (d) respond to requests to amend or revoke regulations introduced by his Department.

Rory Stewart: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ministry of Justice: Disclosure of Information

Mrs Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the extent to which non-disclosure agreements are being used to conceal actions that are against civil or criminal law.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Liverpool Prison: Safety

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the recent report of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons on HMP Liverpool, what steps his Department will take to address safety concerns expressed therein.

Rory Stewart: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ministry of Defence

Reserve Forces: Contracts

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many different types of contracts there are for the Reserve Forces; and what the difference between those contacts is.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Reserve Forces Act 1996 (RFA 96) describes two Reserve Forces: Volunteer Reserves and Regular Reserves. It also makes provision for “special members”, commonly known as Sponsored Reserves, where employers enter into capability contracts with the Ministry of Defence, providing for some or all of their employees to be mobilised when the operational need arises. Volunteer Reserves accept an annual training commitment and a liability for call-out for permanent service. All serve on Reserve Service Days (RSDs). Pay is attendance-based. Annual training is comprised of continuous training (which is a unit camp or an attachment or course involving one or more periods not exceeding 16 days per annum) and non-continuous training (which can take place at any time, but normally at weekends and training nights). Each Service mandates the number of RSDs required under obligatory training to achieve a Certificate of Efficiency and therefore qualify for a training bounty. Section 27 of RFA 96 enables Reservists to undertake Voluntary Training or Other Duties (VTOD). Volunteer Reservists can also agree to maintain a higher level of readiness (the High Readiness Reserve) for which they are paid a premium to their annual bounty. They can also agree to enter into a formal commitment to undertake Defence work either as an Additional Duties Commitment (ADC) or on Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS). An ADC is a formal binding commitment under Section 25 of RFA 96, under which a Reservist commits to perform specified duties for a specified period or periods ranging between 16 days and a maximum of 180 days in any 12 month period. ADC may include duties outside the UK and service alongside any of the Regular Services. Pay is attendance-based. Section 24 of RFA96 provides for Reservists to undertake periods of FTRS, performing specified duties for a specified period with a continuous liability for duty. There are three types of FTRS commitment, each with a different liability, and the type of commitment offered to the reservist is determined by the liability required. These are: Full Commitment (FC): an individual on FTRS (FC) is fully deployable without the need to be mobilised.Limited Commitment: these Reservists fulfil a full range of duties based in one location (which may be overseas) and have a liability for compulsory detachment in the UK or overseas which is limited to a total of 35 days in any one year, with no single detachment lasting in excess of 21 days. If detached to a theatre of operations they must first be mobilised.Home Commitment: these Reservists fulfil a full range of duties appropriate to the post in a single, restricted location but with a liability for compulsory detachment limited to training periods and other limited duties specified in the individual’s FTRS commitment. Detachment does not extend to travel to a theatre of operations unless mobilised. FTRS is a fixed term commitment, and can be short-term or long-term. Conditions of Service for each type of commitment are detailed in single Service regulations. A Reservist will normally be given, or be required to give, three to six months’ notice of termination if they wish to end the commitment early but a commitment can be terminated at any time by mutual consent. The Service can terminate an FTRS commitment at any time. There is no redundancy policy. The basic pay (i.e. without X-factor) of a Reservist on FTRS is the same as that of a Regular, with X-factor set at either 0, 5, or 14.5% depending upon the commitment. Special members of the Reserve Forces, commonly known as Sponsored Reserves, differ from other members of the military as they are employed at all times through the contractor and only receive relevant military training to allow them to survive, operate and perform their contracted task as military personnel in an operational environment. This varies depending on the environments in which they are contracted to operate. Section 40 of RFA 96 sets out the liability of Sponsored Reserves to be called out or to train. Pay and conditions of service for Sponsored Reserves are determined by their contract of employment with their employer. The Regular Reserve Force comprises the Royal Fleet Reserve, Army Regular Reserve and Royal Air Force Regular Reserve. Members of this Reserve Force are all former Regular members of the Armed Forces. Many retain a liability to be called out for service, the duration of which is determined by their previous contract type, length of Regular service and reason for leaving. Some are available to provide specialist capability for a limited time after leaving Regular service; all form a strategic reserve for resilience and regeneration of our Armed Forces in case of national crisis. In general, ex-Regular Reservists have only been called upon to support routine operations if they have volunteered or when volunteer reservists have not been available.

Destroyers and Frigates: Deployment

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many frigates and destroyers were in deployment overseas at some point in December of each year since 2000.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: From the records that are available, we have identified the number of Royal Navy Frigates and Destroyers that were assigned to overseas deployments during December each year from 2000 - 2017 as listed below. YearThe number of Frigates and Destroyers 20001020019200252003720049200552006102007920087200972010520114201262013420146201552016320170

Reserve Forces: Payments

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2017 to Question 116554, how many members of the Army Reserve qualified for their annual bounty in the years (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster: The number of ex-regulars who have joined the Ex-Regular Commitment Bonus Scheme over the past five Financial Years (FY) is shown below: FY 2013-14FY 2014-15FY 2015-16FY 2016-17FY 2017-18 (As of 1 Oct 17)6108201,160930840 As of 1 October 2017, 11% (3,235) of the total Army Reserve (30,330) were members of the Regular to Reserve Bonus Scheme. Data on the number of these personal who have left the Army Reserve over this period is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Notes: These figures are single Service estimates and are not official statistics produced by Defence Statistics. For presentational purposes, the figures have been rounded to 10.The figures above are for both officers and soldiers on the scheme.Not all ex-regulars in the Army Reserve are eligible or chose to join the ex-regular commitment Bonus Scheme. Some may join and then leave the scheme, having received only some or even no payments.

Reserve Forces: Payments

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of  7 December 2017 to Question 116555, how many Army Reserve Soldiers who received their annual bounties in (a) April 2013, (b) April 2014, (c) April 2015 and (d) April 2016 qualified for (i) Year 1, (ii) Year 2, (iii) Year 3 and 4 and (iv) Year 5; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The number of Army Reserve Group A soldiers and officers who received bounty payments for financial years (FY) 2014-15 and 2015-16 is shown in below: Total Number of Army Reserve Group A Annual Bounty Payments FY2014-15 and FY2015-16YearFY2014-15FY2015-16Year 11,3602,280Year 2820980Year 3 / 41,6101,360Year 510,22010,360Total14,00014,980  Annual bounty data for the Army Reserve prior to FY2014-15 is not held in the required format and the data cannot be assured. This is due to a combination of changes in the Reserve structure from the Territorial Army to the Army Reserve under Future Reserves 2020 programme at the end of 2013 and a different process for the award of bounties prior to that date. These changes also mean that information would not be directly comparable.   Notes:Figures are for Army Reserve Group A Soldiers and Officers.These figures are single Service estimates and are not official statistics produced by Defence Statistics. Due to the payment method it is not possible to split out Year 3 and Year 4.For presentational purposes, figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.The payments are for the number of individuals who have received a full or partial Bounty payment for the training year in the period 1 Apr to 30 Jun of the following year; it will therefore not include any late payments.

Reserve Forces: Training

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2017 to Question 116552, what the total strength of the Army Reserve was in (a) April 2016, (b) April 2015, (c) April 2014, (d) April 2013 and (e) April 2012; and how many and what proportion of that strength in each such April were (i) Phase 1, (ii) Phase 2 or (iii) not yet trained; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The total strength of the Army Future Reserves 2020 as at April 2016, April 2015, April 2014 April 2013 and April 2012 are shown in the attached table, with the total divided into Phase 1 trained only, Phase 1 and Phase 2 trained and those who are not yet trained. Notes:The number and proportion of Army Reserves who are not yet Phase 1 trained includes those who have been recruited but will not start training until confirmed medically fit. It may also include those who have joined the Army Reserve over a year ago but have not yet completed Phase 1 training. Future Reserves 2020 includes volunteer reserves who are mobilised, High Readiness Reserves and those volunteer reserves serving on Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) and Additional Duties Commitment (ADC). Sponsored Reserves who provide a more cost effective solution than volunteer reserve are also included in the Army Reserve FR20. Figures have been rounded to 10 for presentational purposes; numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. Totals and sub-totals have been rounded separately and so may not appear to be the sum of their parts.



Total strength of the Army Future Reserves
(Word Document, 18.09 KB)

Reserve Forces: Contracts

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2017 to Question 116559, how many and what proportion of the strength of the Army Reserve were on Full Time Reserve Soldier contracts in (a) April 2013, (b) April 2014, (c) April 2015, (d) April 2016 and (e) April 2017; and what proportion of the number on each of those dates was (i) full and (ii) home commitment; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The total strength of the Army Future Reserves 2020 as at April 2013, April 2014, April 2015 April 2016 and April 2017 are shown in the attached table, with the number and proportion who are on Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) contracts, and what proportion of the number on each of those dates was full and home commitment. NotesFuture Reserves 2020 includes volunteer reserves who are mobilised, High Readiness Reserves and those volunteer reserves serving on Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) and Additional Duties Commitment (ADC). Sponsored Reserves who provide a more cost effective solution than volunteer reserve are also included in the Army Reserve FR20. On 1st April 2012 and 1st April 2013 there were a very small numbers of Reserves on FTRS Limited Commitment contracts. These have been included in FTRS(Home Commitment). Figures have been rounded to 10 for presentational purposes; numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. Totals and sub-totals have been rounded separately and so may not appear to be the sum of their parts.



Total strength of Army Future Reserves 2013-2017
(Word Document, 19 KB)

Reserve Forces

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2017 to Question 116562, how many of the total Army Reserve strength in (a) April 2013, (b) April 2014, (c) April 2015, (d) April 2016 and (e) 2017 were ex-regulars on the Regular to Reserve bonus scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Annual bounty data for the Army Reserve prior to financial year 2014-15 is not held in the required format and the data cannot be assured. This is due to a combination of changes in the Reserve structure from the Territorial Army to the Army Reserve under Future Reserves 2020 programme at the end of 2013 and a different process for the award of bounties prior to that date. These changes also mean that information would not be directly comparable.

Army: Reserve Forces

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average amount of days an Army Reservist is required to serve each year to qualify for their annual bounty; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster: To qualify for an annual bounty Army Reservists are required to complete a minimum of 27 Reserve Service Days if in a Regional Unit or 19 Reserve Service Days if in a National Unit. In addition, there are specific training activities required in order to qualify for the Annual Bounty.

Army: Reserve Forces

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Reserve Service Days were undertaken by the Army Reserve in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14, (c) 2014-2015, (d) 2015-16 and (e) 2016-2017; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 6 December 2017 to Question 116558, what the average number of Reserve Service Days committed to Operation Fortify was for (a) Individual Soldiers, (b) Companies or equivalents and (c) Battalions or equivalents in (i) 2012- 13, (ii) 2013-14, (iii) 2014-15, (iv) 2015-16 and (v) 2016-17; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster: The number of Reserve Service Days undertaken by the Army Reserve in financial years 2013-14 to 2016-17 are shown below. Financial YearTotal Reserve Service Days2013-14997,8102014-15884,0502015-16957,3902016-171,008,290 I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 6 December to Question 116557. There is no additional budget directly attributed to Operation Fortify. Notes: Information for Financial Year 2012-13 is not available from the current Management Information systems. These figures are single Service estimates and are not official statistics produced by Defence Statistics. For presentational purposes, the figures have been rounded to 10.

RAF Volunteer Reserve

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2017 to Question 116988, what the total strength of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force was in (a) April 2013, (b) April 2014, (c) April 2015, (d) April 2016 and (e) April 2017; and what the number and proportion in each such April were (i) Phase 1, (ii) Phase 2 and (iiI) not yet trained; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster: It is not possible to retrospectively assess the split between those who had passed Phase 1 Training but not yet transferred to the Trained Strength because the RAF Reserves did not routinely track this figure which has no value in our current training pipeline analysis.   20132014201520162017Total1,5201,7202,2202,5402,730Phase 2 Trained1,1301,4401,6201,8902,150Not yet completed Phase 2 training390280600650580

RAF Volunteer Reserve

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2017 to Question 116998, how many and what proportion of the total Royal Auxiliary Air Force strength in (a) April 2013, (b) April 2014, (c) April 2015, (d) April 2016 and (e) April 2017 had transferred directly from the regular RAF; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster: For April 2013 and April 2014 the information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.For April 2015, 2016 and 2017 the information is not held in the format requested.

Ministry of Defence: Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by his Department in each month since May 2010; which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended; and what the net cost to (A) the public purse; and (B) business of those regulations is.

Mark Lancaster: Regulations introduced by the Ministry of Defence by month since May 2010 (by coming into force date) are listed below: May 2010The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Burghfield Byelaws 2010 – SI 2010/249August 2010The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2010 – SI 2010/1723November 2010The Reserve Forces Act 1996 (Isle of Man) Regulations 2010 – SI 2010/2643The Reserve Forces Appeal Tribunals (Isle of Man) Rules 2010 – SI 2010/2644The Armed Forces Act (Continuation) Order 2010 – SI 2010/2475December 2010The Visiting Forces (Designation) Order 2010 – SI 2010/2970February 2011The Armed Forces Redundancy Scheme 2006 and the Armed Forces Redundancy Etc. Schemes 2010 (Amendment) Order 2011 – SI 2011/208April 2011The Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme (Amendment) Order 2011 – SI 2011/811The Naval, Military and Air Forces Etc. (Disablement and Death) Service Pensions (Amendment) Order 2011 – SI 2011/235 May 2011The Pensions Appeal Tribunals Act 1943 (Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme) (Rights of Appeal) Regulations 2011 – SI 2011/1240The Pensions Appeal Tribunals Act 1943 (Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme) (Time Limit for Appeals) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 – SI 2011/1239The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) Order 2011 – SI 2011/517The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Trading Fund Order 2011 – SI 2011/1330June 2011The Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (Amendment) Order 2011 – SI 2011/1364July 2011The Armed Forces (Terms of Service) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 – SI 2011/1523Harbours, Docks, Piers and Ferries - The Clyde Dockyard Port of Gareloch and Loch Long Order 2011 – SI 2011/1680August 2011The Thetford Range Byelaws 2011 – SI 2011/1142The Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 – SI 2011/1848October 2011The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Armed Forces) (Amendment) Order 2011 – SI 2011/2282November 2011The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2011 – SI 2011/2552January 2012The Armed Forces Redundancy Scheme 2006, The Armed Forces Redundancy Etc. Schemes 2010 And The Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (Amendment) Order 2011 – SI 2011/3013April 2012The Armed Forces Act 2011 (Commencement No.1, Transitional and Transitory Provisions) Order 2012 – SI 2012/669 (C.15)The Ministry Of Defence Police (Performance) Regulations 2012 – SI 2012/808The Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme (Amendment) Order 2012 – SI 2012/670The Northwood Headquarters Byelaws 2011 – SI 2011/3102June 2012The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels And Controlled Sites) Order 2012 – SI 2012/1110  July 2012The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2012 – SI 2012/1573September 2012The Armed Forces (Enhanced Learning Credit Scheme and Further and Higher Education Commitment Scheme) Order 2012 – SI 2012/1796The Ot Moor Range Byelaws 2012 – SI 2012/1478October 2012The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Armed Forces) (Amendment) Order 2012 – SI 2012/2505November 2012The Armed Forces Act (Continuation) Order 2012 – SI 2012/1750December 2012The Armed Forces Act 2011 (Commencement No.2) Order – SI 2012/2921 (C.116)The Armed Forces (Powers of Stop and Search, Search, Seizure and Retention) Order 2012 – SI 2012/2919April 2013The Armed Forces Act 2011 (Commencement No.3) Order 2013 – SI 2013/784 (C.37)The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Consequential Provisions: Primary Legislation) Order 2013 – SI 2013/796The Naval, Military and Air Forces Etc. (Disablement and Death) Service Pensions (Amendment) Order 2013 – SI 2013/241The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2013 – SI 2013/436The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme (Consequential Provisions: Subordinate Legislation) Order 2013 – SI 2013/591The Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme (Amendment) Order 2013 – SI 2013/707The Visiting Forces (Designation) Order 2013 – SI 2013/540The Caversfield SFA Byelaws 2012 – SI 2012/3088August 2013The Armed Forces (Court Martial) Rules 2013 – SI 2013/1851The Armed Forces (Retrial for Serious Offences) Order 2013 – SI 2013/1852October 2013The Armed Forces (Interpretation, Translation and Alcohol and Drugs Tests) Rules 2013 – SI 2013/2527The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Armed Forces) (Amendment) Order 2013 – SI 2013/2554   November 2013The Armed Forces (Financial Penalty Enforcement Orders) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 – SI 2013/1761The Armed Forces (Alcohol Limits for Prescribed Safety – Critical Duties Regulations 2013 – SI 2013/2787The Armed Forces Act 2011 (Commencement No.4) Order 2013 – SI 2013/2501 (C.101)The Armed Forces Act (Continuation) Order 2013 – SI 2013/2603December 2013The Armed Forces Early Departure Payments Scheme (Amendment) Order 2013 – SI 2013/2914The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Consequential Provisions: Primary Legislation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2013 – SI 2013/3233The Armed Forces (Remission of Fines) Order 2013 – SI 2013/3234The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Consequential Provisions: Subordinate Legislation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2013 – SI 2013/3021April 2014The Naval, Military and Air Forces Etc. (Disablement and Death) Service Pensions (Amendment) Order 2014 – SI 2014/505The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2014 – SI 2014/412The Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme (Amendment) Order 2014 – SI 2014/444May 2014The Armed Forces (Powers of Stop and Search, Seizure and Retention) (Amendment) Order 2014 – SI 2014/934June 2014The Marriage of Same Sex Couples (Use of Armed Forces’ Chapels) Regulations 2014 – SI 2014/815The Overseas Marriage (Armed Forces) Order 2014 – SI 2014/1108The Armed Forces Act 2011 (Commencement No.5) Order 2014 – SI 2014/1444 (C.54)July 2014The Defence Reform Act 2014 (Commencement No.1) Order 2014 – SI 2014/1751 (C.75)RAF Croughton Byelaws – SI 2014/855RAF Barford St John Byelaws – SI 2014/862September 2014The Defence Reform Act 2014 (Commencement No.2) Order 2014 – SI 2014/2370 (C.101)  October 2014The Reserve Forces (Payment to Employers and Partners) Regulations 2014 – SI 2014/2410November 2014The Armed Forces Act (Continuation) Order 2014 – SI 2014/1882December 2014The Defence Reform Act 2014 (Commencement No.3) Order 2014 – SI 2014/3162 (C.139)The Armed Forces Pensions Scheme and Armed Forces Early Departure Payments Scheme (Amendment) Order 2014 – SI 2014/2958The Single Source Contract Regulations 2014 – SI 2014/3337January 2015The Armed Forces Early Departure Payments Scheme Regulations 2014 – SI 2014/2328The Armed Forces Pension Regulations 2014 – SI 2014/2336The Armed Forces (Terms of Service) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 – SI 2014/3068February 2015The Ministry of Defence Police (Conduct etc.) Regulations 2015 – SI 2015/25March 2015The Reserve Forces (Call-Out and Recall) (Financial Assistance) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 – SI 2015/460The Defence Reform Act 2014 (Commencement No.4) Order 2015 – SI 2015/791 (C.45)April 2015The Armed Forces (Transitional Provisions) Pensions Regulations 2015 – SI 2015/568The Armed Forces Pensions Scheme and Armed Forces Early Departure Payments Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2015 – SI 2015/466The Armed Forces (Enhanced Learning Credit Scheme and Further and Higher Education Commitment Scheme) Order 2015 – SI 2015/497The Naval, Military and Air Forces Etc. (Disablement and Death) Service Pensions (Amendment) Order 2015 – SI 2015/208The Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme (Amendment) Order 2015 – SI 2015/555The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2015 – SI 2015/413The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (Application to Service Courts) (Amendment) Order 2015 – SI 2015/727The Court Martial and Service Civilian (Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999) (Amendment) Rules 2015 – SI 2015/726The Energy Act 2013 (Commencement No.3) Order 2015 – SI 2015/817 (C.49) October 2015Brize Norton Byelaws 2015 – SI 2015/1467Sculthorpe Training Area Byelaws – SI 2015/1492November 2015The Armed Forces Act (Continuation) Order 2015 – SI 2015/1766The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (Application to Service Courts) (Amendment) (No.2) Order 2015 – SI 2015/1805The Criminal Justice (Armed Forces Code of Practice for Victims of Crime) Regulations 2015 – SI 2015/1811The Armed Forces (Service Court Rules) (Amendment) Rules 2015 – SI 2015/1812The Summary Appeal Court (Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999) Rules 2015 – SI 2015/1813The Court Martial Appeal Court (Amendment) Rules 2015 – SI 2015/1814January 2016The Armed Forces (Service Complaints Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2015 – SI 2015/2064The Armed Forces (Service Complaints) Regulations 2015 – SI 2015/1955The Armed Forces (Service Complaints Ombudsman Investigations) Regulations 2015 – SI 2015/1956The Armed Forces (Service Complaints and Financial Assistance) Act 2015 (Commencement) Regulations 2015 – SI 2015/1957 (C.121)The Armed Forces (Service Complaints and Financial Assistance) Act 2015 (Transitional and Savings Provisions) Regulations 2015 – SI 2015/1969April 2016The Armed Forces (Enhanced Learning Credit Scheme and Further and Higher Education Commitment Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2016 – SI 2016/310The Naval, Military and Air Forces Etc. (Disablement and Death) Service Pensions (Amendment) Order 2016 – SI 2016/374May 2016The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2016 – SI 2016/557August 2016The Reserve Forces Acts 1980 and 1996 (Isle of Man) (Amendment) Order 2016 – SI 2016/746The Templeton Training Area Byelaws 2016 – SI 2016/508October 2016The Visiting Forces (Designation) Order 2016 – SI 2016/998December 2016The Armed Forces Act 2011 (Commencement No.6) Order 2016 – SI 2016/1232  March 2017The Ministry of Defence Police (Conduct, Performance and Appeals Tribunals) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 – SI 2017/84The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2017 – SI 2017/147April 2017The Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme (Amendment) Order 2017 – SI 2017/149The Naval, Military and Air Forces Etc. (Disablement and Death) Service Pensions (Amendment) Order 2017 – SI 2017/161The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2017 – SI 2017/247May 2017The Armed Forces Act (Continuation) Order 2017 – SI 2017/569November 2017The Armed Forces Act 2016 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2017 – SI 2017/1131 (C.105)December 2017The War Pensions Committees (Amendment) Regulations 2017 – SI 2017/1133The International Headquarters and Defence Organisations (Designation and Privileges) Order 2017 – SI 2017/1276January 2018The Maritime Enforcement Powers (Persons of a Specified Description) Regulations 2017 – SI 2017/1188 Which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure? (i) None. (ii) None. (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended?  (i) The following instruments have been revoked:The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2010 – SI 2010/1723The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Trading Fund Order 2011 – SI 2011/1330The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels And Controlled Sites) Order 2012 – SI 2012/1110  (i) The following instruments have been amended:The Armed Forces (Enhanced Learning Credit Scheme and Further and Higher Education Commitment Scheme) Order 2012 – SI 2012/1796The Ministry Of Defence Police (Performance) Regulations 2012 – SI 2012/808The Ministry of Defence Police (Conduct etc.) Regulations 2015 – SI 2015/25 What is the net cost to (A) the public purse; and (B) business of those regulations? Regulations introduced, amended and revoked are a result of the regular updating and consolidation of departmental secondary legislation and the conduct of departmental business. They are prepared within existing departmental resources and do not have any external financial impact. An exception to this is the Single Source Contract Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/3337) which may have a financial impact on suppliers, but there is scope for suppliers to obtain reimbursement of necessary costs through the allowable costs of their contracts.

Ministry of Defence: EU Law

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which EU (a) Directives, (b) Regulations and (c) other legislation affecting his Department he is planning to propose (i) revocation and (ii) amendment of after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will retain EU law as it applies in the UK on exit day, with relevant adjustments to ensure the statute book functions appropriately outside the EU. This will give legal certainty to businesses, contracting authorities, and employees.Once we leave the EU, we will make our own laws. Ministry of Defence officials are working closely with colleagues across Government to ensure that the Government's EU exit legislative programme is designed to cater for the full range of negotiated and non-negotiated outcomes.

Ministry of Defence: Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what processes his Department has put in place to (a) monitor, (b) collate cost information on, (c) review and (d) respond to requests to amend or revoke regulations introduced by his Department.

Mark Lancaster: The Ministry of Defence monitors and responds to requests from across the Department or elsewhere to amend or revoke regulations under its control. A senior official oversees the process, and reports regularly to Ministers.

Army: Reserve Forces

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2017 to Question 116564, how many of the 4,350 ex-regular service personnel on the Reserve ex-regular commitment bonus scheme were of the rank of (a) private or equivalent, (b) Lance Corporal or equivalent, (c) Corporal or equivalent, (c) Sergeant or equivalent, (d) Staff Sergeant or equivalent, (e) Sergeant Major (WO2) or equivalent, (f) Sergeant Major (WO1) or equivalent, (g) 2nd Lieutenant, (h) Lieutenant and (i) Captain; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster: The number of personnel on the Reserve ex-regular commitment bonus scheme, as at 1 October 2017, and their rank at the time of acceptance onto the scheme, is shown below: Rank at the point of acceptance on to the SchemeNumber of personnel on the Reserve ex-regular commitment bonus schemePrivate1,190Lance Corporal750Corporal700Sergeant510Staff Sergeant370Sergeant Major (WO2)370Sergeant Major (WO1)80Officer Cadet & 2nd Lieutenant10Lieutenant20Captain360 Notes:The above figures are single Service estimates and are not official statistics produced by Defence Statistics. For Presentational purposes, the figures have been rounded to ten.

EU Battlegroups

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government plans to contribute to the EU Battlegroup planned for 2019.

Mark Lancaster: In 2015, the UK made a provisional offer to be the Framework Nation for the EU Battlegroup in the second half of 2019. The UK will remain completely committed to European defence and security after we leave the European Union.

European Defence Fund

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has for UK involvement in the European Defence Fund after the UK leaves the EU.

Mark Lancaster: The Government is committed to ensuring that UK and European industries will continue working together to deliver the capabilities that we all need to protect our national security. We are leaving the EU but not Europe.

Gulf States: Warships

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Royal Navy vessels are on duty in the Gulf; and when those vessels are planned to return to the UK.

Mark Lancaster: At present, there are six Royal Navy vessels on duty in the Gulf. These are HMS Bangor, HMS Blyth, HMS Ledbury, HMS Middleton, RFA Fort Rosalie and RFA Cardigan Bay. The Ministry of Defence does not release details of planned deployment dates as to do so would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Armed Forces: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) civilian, (b) Royal Navy, (c) Army and (d) Royal Air Force personnel are stationed in each local authority area in Wales.

Mark Lancaster: The stationed locations of Ministry of Defence personnel based in Wales, by local authority area, can be found in tables 4.1a and 4.1b of the Quarterly Location Statistics. The latest figures can be found at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/location-of-uk-regular-service-and-civilian-personnel-quarterly-statistics-2017.

Department for Work and Pensions

Access to Work Programme

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what cost benefit analysis his Department uses to measure the effectiveness of the Access to Work programme.

Sarah Newton: We are in the process of commissioning a piece of feasibility work to investigate robust methods for estimating the quantitative impact of Access to Work on employment entry and retention

Department for Work and Pensions: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions,what estimate he has made of the (a) amount of time and (b) resources that his Department allocated to the production of impact assessments on the UK leaving the EU; and on what date work on those impact assessments started.

Alok Sharma: The Government is carrying out an ongoing programme of assessment work since the Referendum. This will inform our negotiating position with the EU, to define our deep and special partnership and inform our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK’s domestic policies and frameworks. The Department for Work and Pensions is working in close coordination with the Department for Exiting the European Union, to ensure the delivery of a holistic programme. The Department’s EU exit work is being centrally co-ordinated, but the breadth of issues to be considered, and the interactions between EU exit work and the Department’s other priorities, mean that it is not possible to provide an estimate of staff numbers, or time spent, on work in this area.

Department for Work and Pensions: EU Law

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which EU (a) Directives, (b) Regulations and (c) other legislation affecting his Department he is planning to propose (i) revocation and (ii) amendment of after the UK leaves the EU.

Alok Sharma: Decisions as to what extent EU directives, regulations or other legislation will continue to function once the UK has exited the EU have not been made, as this is a matter for the current negotiations, in which the Government is focused on ensuring the best outcome for the UK.

Social Security Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications were made for a short term benefit advance in the most recent 12 months for which data is available; and how many of those applications were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful.

Alok Sharma: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Universal Credit: Self-employed

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason a self-employed claimant who earns less than the minimum income floor in some months but over the course of a year earns more than twelve times the minimum income floor will receive less Universal Credit than an employed person with the same annual earnings.

Alok Sharma: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Farms: Tenancy Agreements

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the reports from the Tenancy Reform Industry Group working group submitted to him in October 2017.

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward proposals to implement the recommendation of the Tenancy Reform Industry Group made in October 2017 to allow tenants under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 to have the statutory right to assign those tenancies to assist with retirement and restructuring.

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will implement the recommendation of the Tenancy Reform Industry Group made in October 2017 to require that contractual clauses in farm tenancies regulated by the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 which seek to restrict farm tenants from investing in fixed equipment, diversifying or working off the holding should be subject to a test of reasonableness.

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the recommendations from the Tenancy Reform Industry Group of October 2017, whether he has plans to encourage longer-term Farm Business Tenancies; and if he will make a statement.

George Eustice: The government is committed to supporting a vibrant tenant farming sector which creates opportunities for new entrants to the industry. Last year I asked the Tenancy Reform Industry Group to give an opinion on a range of issues. This included giving consideration to how Defra might make greater use of its powers under the 1970 Agriculture Act. I have received their report and we are considering these matters further.

Local Government: Smallholdings

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is taking steps to ensure that local authorities obtaining best value from the management of their county council smallholding estates; and if he will make a statement.

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward proposals to strengthen the accountability of local authorities in the management of their county council smallholding estates as proposed by the Tenancy Reform Industry Group in October 2017.

George Eustice: The government is committed to supporting a vibrant tenant farming sector which creates opportunities for new entrants to the industry. Last year I asked the Tenancy Reform Industry Group to give an opinion on a range of issues. This included giving consideration to how Defra might make greater use of its powers under the 1970 Agriculture Act. I have received their report and we are considering these matters further.

Home Office

Money Laundering

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will review the effectiveness of enforcement tools for tackling money laundering.

Mr Nick  Hurd: The Government has legislated, by way of the Criminal Finances Act 2017, to provide law enforcement agencies with new powers to tackle money laundering. These include Unexplained Wealth Orders, which require those linked to serious crime to explain the origin of their assets, and new civil powers to freeze and forfeit criminal funds held in bank accounts without the need for a criminal conviction.

Members: Correspondence

Maria Eagle: To ask The Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Garston and Halewood of 13 November 2017 on gun crime in Merseyside.

Mr Ben  Wallace: A reply was sent to the hon. Member for Garston and Halewood on the 10th January 2018.

Hate Crime

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of (a) reported and (b) unreported hate crimes against (i) disabled people and (ii) homeless people in each of the last five years for which data is available.

Victoria Atkins: The Home Office collects information on the number of hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales, by monitored strand, including disability. Information for the last five years can be found in the Home Office Open Data Tables for hate crime, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tablesThe number of hate crimes recorded by the police has increased over the last five years. The increase over this time period is largely due to general improvements in crime recording by the police, better identification by the police of what constitutes hate crime and more victims coming forward to report these crimes to the police.The Home Office does not hold information on whether the victim of a crime was homeless or not. The Crime Survey for England and Wales for the combined years 2012/13 to 2014/15 estimates that 48% of overall hate crime was reported to the police.This Government is committed to tackling hate crime. The UK has a strong legislative framework to tackle hate crime. We are working across Government with police, (including National Community Tensions Team), the Crown Prosecution Service and community partners to send out a clear message that hate crime will not be tolerated and we will vigorously pursue and prosecute those who commit these crimes.

Home Office: Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by her Department in each month since May 2010; which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended; and what the net cost to (A) the public purse; and (B) business of those regulations is.

Victoria Atkins: The changes to Home Office regulations affecting business during the 2010-15 Parliament were recorded in Statements of New Regulation that were published every six months. These are available on https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/one-in-two-out-statement-of-new-regulation. Consolidated information for the period is set out in Annex C to the Ninth Statement of New Regulations.In line with its obligations under the Small Business Enterprise and Employment Act 2015, the Government reports on its progress towards achieving the Business Impact Target (BIT). The first BIT report covered the period 8 May 2015 to 26 May 2016. It is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/530683/bis-16-182-bit-annual-report.pdf. The Home Office measures are listed on pages 40 – 41.The Government published an interim report for the 2015-2017 Parliament. It is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/610874/business-impact-target-interim-report-16-17.pdf. The Home Office measures are listed on pages 33 – 35.For the 2015-17 Parliament, the Government will publish shortly its final report on the Business Impact Target during that Parliament. The net cost to the public purse is described in the Regulatory Impact Assessments that accompany legislative measures. Regulatory Impact Assessments are available on ‘gov.uk’ and http://legislation.gov.uk.

Developing Countries: Females

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of state for the Home Department, with reference to the Cabinet Office report on Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals published on 14 December 2017, what steps her Department is taking to implement the element of Sustainable Development Goal 5 on violence against women and girls.

Victoria Atkins: The Government is committed to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG), which supports the wider work to address gender inequality and support female empowerment. In March 2016 we published an updated Ending VAWG Strategy, and we have made much progress since the original Call to End Violence against Women and Girls in 2010.The Government has committed increased funding of £100million to 2020 to continue to provide a bedrock of critical services for VAWG, and to support a transformation in local service delivery to enable local areas to build coherent pathways of support for victims at every stage. In addition, the Queen’s speech committed to publishing a draft domestic abuse bill to protect and support victims, recognise the life-long impact domestic abuse has on children and make sure agencies effectively respond to domestic abuse.

Firearms: Licensing

Victoria Prentis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Home Office guidance on firearms licensing law is complied with.

Mr Nick  Hurd: The Policing and Crime Act 2017 introduced a power to enable the Secretary of State to issue statutory guidance to the police on their firearms licensing functions. The police will be required to have regard to this guidance. We intend to consult on this guidance publically before it is finalised.

Emergency Services: Road Traffic Offences

Jack Lopresti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answers of 21 December 2017 to Question 120441 on Police: Road Traffic Offences and Question 120442 on Fire and Rescue Services: Road Traffic Offences, if she will take steps to begin the centralised collection of that data.

Mr Nick  Hurd: There are no plans to collect this information centrally.

Female Genital Mutilation and Forced Marriage

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps have been taken by the female genital mutilation unit and Forced Marriage Units to conduct outreach work among communities to highlight issues of female genital mutilation and forced marriages since 2016.

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward proposals to hold collaborative discussions with victims and families affected by female genital mutilation in order to (a) gain insight into their perspectives on current female genital mutilation policies and efforts and (b) include victims' narratives in existing and future female genital mutilation policies and efforts.

Victoria Atkins: So called 'honour-based' violence, including female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, is a terrible form of abuse, and this Government is clear that we will not allow political or cultural sensitivities to get in the way of tackling it. No-one should suffer because of who they are or what community they are born into.Work to tackle these crimes is an integral part of our cross-Government Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy, published in 2016, and we are clear that we will not end FGM and forced marriage until we change attitudes. Our dedicated FGM and Forced Marriage Units are delivering ongoing programmes of nationwide outreach, comprising more than 100 events every year, with communities and professionals to raise awareness of the warning signs and significant harms caused by these practices and how to access support.The Home Office FGM Unit regularly engages with community based organisations and survivors, including through local forums, to ensure the views and insights of affected communities are considered in current and future policy development. This is done through a quarterly FGM stakeholders meeting, ongoing outreach events and engagement with community based organisations funded through the Building a Stronger Britain Together programme. It is important that any engagement with victims and families is done in a constructive and secure environment so that individuals are provided with the support they need.

Slavery

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether potential victims of trafficking who are destitute and who have consented to a referral into the National Referral Mechanism will be accommodated under the victim care contract.

Victoria Atkins: The Government is committed to ensuring that all potential victims of modern slavery receive the appropriate specialist support that they require. If an individual is destitute when they are identified, and has no other options for accommodation, they will be accommodated through the Victim Care Contract, through which support is provided to adult victims. This will happen before a decision is taken as to whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that the person is a victim of slavery and trafficking .

Lancashire Constabulary: Finance

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to make a decision on whether to award Special Grant Funding for the Lancashire Constabulary to cover the costs of the anti-fracking protests in the area.

Mr Nick  Hurd: The Lancashire PCC has submitted an application for Special Grant funding for the costs of policing the anti-fracking protests in Lancashire. This is currently being reviewed by HMICFRS and a decision will be made in due course.

Abortion: Clinics

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the review of harassment and intimidation near abortion clinics announced on 26 November 2017 will include meetings with organisations that protest near abortion clinics.

Mr Nick  Hurd: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Congleton on the 20th December 2017, UIN 119787.

Scotland Office

Scotland Office: Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland,  what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by his Department in each month since May 2010; which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended; and what the net cost to (A) the public purse; and (B) business of those regulations is.

David Mundell: The changes to regulations affecting business during the 2010-15 Parliament are recorded in Statements of New Regulation that were published every six months. These are available on:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/one-in-two-out-statement-of-new-regulation For the 2015-17 Parliament, the Government will shortly publish its final report on the savings to business delivered during that Parliament. For the current Parliament, the Government is committed to maintaining a proportionate approach to regulation to enable business growth while maintaining public protections. This will be monitored through the target that the Government is required to set under the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015.

Scotland Office: EU Law

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, which EU (a) Directives, (b) Regulations and (c) other legislation affecting his Department he is planning to propose the (i) revocation and (ii) amendment of after the UK leaves the EU.

David Mundell: The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will retain EU law as it applies in the UK on exit day. We expect between 800 and 1000 statutory instruments will be required across the UK Government to correct this retained EU law to ensure the statute book functions appropriately outside the EU. The Bill will also give the devolved administrations powers to make similar corrections in devolved areas. All Departments are engaged in this process. Once we leave the EU, we will make our own laws. As we leave the EU, the Government’s EU exit legislative programme is designed to cater for the full range of negotiated and non-negotiated outcomes.

HM Treasury

Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

Neil O'Brien: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the monies accrued to the public purse of (a) freezing the personal allowance at £12,000 and (b) freezing the higher-rate threshold at £50,000 in each of the years after 2020-21.

Mel Stride: The estimated Exchequer impact of freezing the personal allowance at £12,000 and freezing the higher-rate threshold at £50,000 in 2021-22 and 2022-23 is: £ bn2021-222022-23Exchequer Impact of a Freeze of the PA at £12,000 and the HRT at £50,0001,8003,900Figures have been rounded to the nearest £100 million. The The impact is shown on a National Accounts basis consistent with the presentation in table 2.1 of Budget documents The government remains committed to increasing the PA to £12,500 by 2020-21. The estimated Exchequer impact of freezing the personal allowance at £12,500 and freezing the higher-rate threshold at £50,000 in 2021-22 and 2022-23 is: £bn2021-222022-23Exchequer Impact of a Freeze of the PA at £12,500 and the HRT at £50,0001,8004,000Figures have been rounded to the nearest £100 million. Therefore the modelling simulation above has been repeated with the PA set to £12,500 in 2020-21, frozen thereafter (the HRT was as in the £12,000 scenario above). Both of these estimates are sensitive to any changes in the projected economic determinants used, and modelling assumptions, and are therefore subject to revision. [To answer this question a number of assumptions have been made as set out below. These estimates are consistent with the methodology used to estimate the impact of policy changes to Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs). The question implies that the Personal Allowance (PA) and Higher Rate Threshold (HRT) would be at the stated levels in 2020-21 in order that they be frozen at those levels (rather than indexed with Consumer Price Index (CPI) indexation as is the convention) for the years after that. The Exchequer impact of meeting the thresholds in 2020-21 has is not included in these figures. The estimated impact from freezing the PA and HRT has been modelled using the 2014-15 Survey of Personal Incomes projected using assumptions from the Office of Budget Responsibility’s November 2017 economic and fiscal outlook. The costs set out below include assumptions on the likely behavioral responses of affected taxpayers, which is in line with previous similar costings agreed with the OBR. The costing include the impact on NICs, as the Upper Earnings Limit and Upper Profits Limit are aligned to the Higher Rate Threshold which has been frozen at £50,000 for this policy. The simulation assumes the HRT freeze does not apply in Scotland where this threshold is devolved. Therefore the Scottish Basic Rate Limit (BRL) is amended to maintain the Scottish HRT at the current projected levels after any changes to the PA. The simulation includes an estimate for the change in the Scottish block grant adjustment under this policy change scenario.

Intestacy

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money had been collected and held by the Treasury Solicitor from unclaimed estates in the last five years.

John Glen: The net money collected from bona vacantia unclaimed estates in England*, Wales and Northern Ireland by the Treasury Solicitor in the last five financial years is as follows: 2012/13 £3.3 million2013/14 £-1.3 million2014/15 £3.2 million2015/16 £12.3 million2016/17 £6.4 million * excluding the Duchies of Lancaster & Cornwall. Estates in the Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster are dealt with by Farrer and Co. Solicitors, with monies passed on to charity. Scotland estates are dealt with by the Ultimus Heares Unit in Glasgow.

Treasury: Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by his Department in each month since May 2010; which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended; and what the net cost to (A) the public purse; and (B) business of those regulations is.

Priti Patel: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what processes his Department has put in place to (a) monitor, (b) collate cost information on, (c) review and (d) respond to requests to amend or revoke regulations introduced by his Department.

Robert Jenrick: The changes to regulations affecting business during the 2010-15 Parliament are recorded in Statements of New Regulation that were published every six months. These are available on https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/one-in-two-out-statement-of-new-regulation . For the 2015-17 Parliament, the Government will shortly publish its final report on the savings to business delivered during that Parliament. For the current Parliament, the Government is committed to maintaining a proportionate approach to regulation to enable business growth while maintaining public protections. This will be monitored through the target that the Government is required to set under the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015.

Royal Bank of Scotland

Ian Blackford: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department was first made aware of plans by the Royal Bank of Scotland to close 259 of its branches.

John Glen: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors, including RBS, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travelThe decision to open or close branches is a commercial matter, in which the Government does not intervene.RBS Group retains its own board which is responsible for commercial and operational decisions, including in relation to its branch network. The Government’s shareholding in RBS Group is managed at arm's length and on a commercial basis through UK Financial Investments Ltd, a company which is wholly owned by the Government.

Treasury: EU Law

Priti Patel: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which EU (a) Directives, (b) Regulations and (c) other legislation affecting his Department he is planning to propose (i) revocation and (ii) amendment of after the UK leaves the EU.

Robert Jenrick: The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will retain EU law as it applies in the UK on exit day. We expect between 800 and 1000 statutory instruments will be required across Government to correct this retained EU law to ensure the statute book functions appropriately outside the EU. All Departments are engaged in this process. As we leave the EU, the Government’s EU exit legislative programme is designed to cater for the full range of negotiated and non-negotiated outcomes. Once we leave the EU, we will make our own laws.

Consumers

Laura Smith: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to increase the ability of regulators and consumer enforcement bodies to order fines against companies that have been found to have broken consumer law and to deliver redress.

John Glen: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has been given a wide range of enforcement powers to protect consumers and to take action against firms and individuals that breach the FCA’s rules – including rules on consumer protection - through the Financial Services and Markets Act (2000), as amended by the Financial Services Act (2012), Such action includes issuing fines against firms and individuals. In the calendar year 2017, the FCA issued fines totalling £229,515,303. The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) was set up by the Government to resolve individual complaints between financial services firms and their customers. If the FOS decide that a consumer has been treated unfairly, it has legal powers to force the firm to pay redress to the consumer.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Free Movement of People

Deidre Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Joint report from the negotiators of the European Union and the United Kingdom Government on progress during phase 1 of negotiations under Article 50 TEU on the freedom of movement of UK nationals resident in another EU Member States.

Mr Robin Walker: Securing an early agreement to protect the rights of UK nationals in the EU and EU citizens in the UK was the first priority for these negotiations. The agreement that we have reached, set out in our Joint Report, will provide these citizens with certainty about their rights going forward and we have agreed a comprehensive deal that works in the best interests of both EU citizens and UK nationals.During the first phase of negotiations the UK strove to secure the right of onward movement for UK nationals with status in an EU Member State. However, the European Commission felt that this was an issue that could not be resolved through the first phase of negotiations. This right of onward movement for UK nationals with status in an EU Member State remains an important issue for the UK and the UK is keen to return to it in the next phase of negotiations.

Department for International Trade

Department for International Trade: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate he has made of the (a) amount of time and (b) resources that his Department allocated to the production of impact assessments on the UK leaving the EU; and on what date work on those impact assessments started.

Greg Hands: The Department for International Trade (DIT) has not produced, or is preparing, any Impact Assessments on the UK leaving the EU. Analysis on the UK’s exit from the EU falls under the remit of the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU), which is leading the Government’s ongoing programme of analytical work.DIT has produced Impact Assessments to accompany the Trade Bill, as is typical prior to introducing specific legislation to Parliament.

David Cameron

Mr Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to his Department's factsheet entitled 9th UK China Economic and Financial Dialogue 16 December 2017, whether David Cameron's new role on investment between the UK and China is a Government appointment.

Greg Hands: The new UK-China bilateral investment fund, of which David Cameron will be Vice-Chairman, is a private sector initiative, and not a government appointment. The fund has not received public money. The Department for International Trade welcomes initiatives which support innovative and sustainable commercial growth opportunities between the UK and China.

Department for International Trade: Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade,  what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by his Department in each month since May 2010; which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended; and what the net cost to (A) the public purse; and (B) business of those regulations is.

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what processes his Department has put in place to (a) monitor, (b) collate cost information on, (c) review and (d) respond to requests to amend or revoke regulations introduced by his Department.

Greg Hands: The Department for International Trade was created in July 2016.For the 2015-17 Parliament, the Government will shortly publish its final report on the savings to business delivered during that Parliament. For the current Parliament, the Government is committed to maintaining a proportionate approach to regulation to enable business growth while maintaining public protections. This will be monitored through the target that the Government is required to set under the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015.

Department for International Trade: EU Law

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which EU (a) Directives, (b) Regulations and (c) other legislation affecting his Department he is planning to propose (i) revocation and (ii) amendment of after the UK leaves the EU.

Greg Hands: The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will retain EU law as it applies in the UKon exit day. We expect between 800 and 1000 statutory instruments will be requiredacross Government to correct this retained EU law to ensure the statute bookfunctions appropriately outside the EU. All Departments are engaged in this Once we leave the EU, we will make our own laws. As we leave the EU, theGovernment’s EU exit legislative programme is designed to cater for the fullrange of negotiated and non-negotiated outcomes.

Trade Agreements

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether his Department plans to carry out impact assessments on future bilateral trade deals prior to their ratification.

Greg Hands: Holding answer received on 12 January 2018



As outlined in the White Paper ‘Preparing for our future UK trade policy’, we remain committed to a transparent, fair, and rules-based approach to international trade. We will ensure Parliament has an appropriate role to play in the scrutiny of new UK trade treaties.In ratifying EU free trade agreements we already provide impact assessments to Parliament to enable Members from both Houses to consider the effects of these agreements for the UK.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Broadband: Rural Areas

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he has taken to facilitate access to superfast broadband for people who live in remote rural areas and cannot afford that service; and how those people can apply for support to access superfast broadband.

Margot James: The Government's Superfast Broadband Programme has provided access to superfast broadband (speeds of more than 24Mbps) to over 4.65 million premises that would otherwise not have got it. Coverage will continue to be extended further both through the Government's programme and further roll-out by the private sector. For the remaining premises that do not have access to superfast broadband, the Government will ensure universal broadband of at least 10Mbps by introducing a regulatory broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) to give everyone access to high speed broadband by 2020.

Video Games

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the video games industry.

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of the creation of a British Games Institute and its potential effect on the video games industry.

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will meet with hon. Members to discuss the potential merits of the creation of a British Games Institute.

Margot James: The video games industry is a great success story and we are committed to promoting its growth. Companies in the sector have received some £119 million from the UK’s video games tax relief since its introduction in 2014. Additionally our UK Games Fund has supported more than 60 games projects and our funding for the programme has recently been extended to 2020. The games sector will also benefit from the Government’s new transformative £33 million “Audience of the Future” strand of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund. We are continuing to work with other Government Departments, public organisations and representatives from industry to consider what else we can do to drive growth in the games sector and the wider creative industries, including as part of the planned sector deal.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by her Department in each month since May 2010; which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended; and what the net cost to (A) the public purse; and (B) business of those regulations is.

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, which EU (a) Directives, (b) Regulations and (c) other legislation affecting her Department she is planning to propose (i) revocation and (ii) amendment of after the UK leaves the EU.

Margot James: The changes to regulations affecting business during the 2010-15 Parliament are recorded in Statements of New Regulation that were published every six months. These are available on https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/one-in-two-out-statement-of-new-regulation.   For the 2015-17 Parliament, the Government will shortly publish its final report on the savings to business delivered during that Parliament. For the current Parliament, the Government is committed to maintaining a proportionate approach to regulation to enable business growth while maintaining public protections. This will be monitored through the target that the Government is required to set under the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015.

Ofcom: International Cooperation

Christine Jardine: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what funding her Department has allocated to Ofcom to promote in international forums the use of the (a) 961-1015 MHz, (b) 1045-1075 MHz, and (b) 1105-1154 MHz bandwidths for Programme Making and Special Events.

Margot James: Up to £55m of funding will be available to help support the programme making and special events sectors impacted by the 700MHz spectrum clearance programme. ​

Radio Frequencies

Christine Jardine: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans her department has for supporting manufacturers of Programme Making and Special Events equipment to build equipment for use in the (a) 961-1015 MHz, (b) 1045-1075 MHz, and  (c) 1105-1154 MHz bands.

Margot James: Ofcom have reported that 2 manufacturers have stated their intention to have equipment that operates in the 960 MHz band on the market in the near future.

Radio Frequencies

Christine Jardine: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what new services her Department plans on being introduced into the 1350-1400 MHz band over the next decade.

Christine Jardine: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what new services her Department plans on being introduced into the 960-1164 MHz band over the next decade.

Margot James: It is not possible to comment with any certainty on possible changes to spectrum use over a 10 year time frame.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what processes her Department has put in place to (a) monitor, (b) collate cost information on, (c) review and (d) respond to requests to amend or revoke regulations introduced by her Department.

Margot James: The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will retain EU law as it applies in the UK on exit day. We expect between 800 and 1000 statutory instruments will be required across Government to correct this retained EU law to ensure the statute book functions appropriately outside the EU. All Departments are engaged in this process. As we leave the EU, the Government’s EU exit legislative programme is designed to cater for the full range of negotiated and non-negotiated outcomes.

Broadband: Northern Ireland

Paul Girvan: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that broadband customers in rural Northern Ireland receive the same guarantee of minimum speeds as other parts of the UK.

Margot James: I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement entitled "Universal Broadband" made on 20th December. Once the broadband USO has been implemented, consumers across the UK will have a legal right to request from a designated provider, who has a legal obligation to supply, a broadband connection of at least 10Mbps, up to a reasonable cost threshold.

Broadband: Northern Ireland

Paul Girvan: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that broadband customers in rural Northern Ireland have access to equivalent speeds as customers in the rest of the UK.

Margot James: Currently over 85% of premises in Northern Ireland have access to superfast broadband and this is expected to increase to 87% by the end of March 2018 as a result of the Government’s Superfast Broadband Programme. The Government has allocated a further £150 million to support ultrafast broadband roll-out as part of the June 2017 funding support package for Northern Ireland. For any premises that do not have access to superfast broadband the government will give everyone in the UK a legal right to request a connection of at least 10Mbps by 2020. The Better Broadband Scheme is also available now to enable all premises to have access to a connection speed of at least 2Mbps today.

House of Commons Commission

House of Commons: Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many and what proportion of the Commission's Answers to Written Parliamentary Questions in the 2017-18 Session to date have referred to the information requested not being (a) collected or (b) collated centrally.

Tom Brake: In the Session to date, the House of Commons Commission has received 30 Written Parliamentary Questions. Three of those questions – representing 10% of the total answers – have referred to the information not being (a) collected or (b) collated centrally: they referred to reported failures to wear a security pass, Specialist Adviser vacancies and average download speeds.

Portcullis House

John Mann: To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, what discussions have taken place with the architect Ian Ward about the use of Portcullis House as a possible temporary Chamber.

Tom Brake: The Commission has no record of any such discussions having taken place.

Department of Health

Health Services: Standards

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made cost to the public purse of meeting the 18 week referral to treatment target in the next 12 months; and what the effect of meeting that target will be on other areas of expenditure and the NHS deficit.

Stephen Barclay: NHS England has set out their approach to meeting and improving patient access standards in the ‘Next steps on the NHS Five Year Forward View’1 and has produced an annex ‘NHS England Funding and Resource 2017-19: supporting Next Steps for the NHS Five Year Forward View’2 to explain its funding distribution. The health service continues to face high demand on services caused by the United Kingdom’s ageing population and rapidly advancing technology. That is why the National Health Service will receive £2.8 billion of additional resource funding in England by 2018/19 to help it get back on track and meet performance standards on waiting times including the 18 week referral to treatment target. Notes:1https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/next-steps-on-the-nhs-five-year-forward-view/2https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-england-funding-and-resource-2017-19/

NHS 111

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of NHS 111 online.

Stephen Barclay: Nationally, performance of the NHS 111 is strong against the background of a rising number of calls. The latest data published by NHS England for December 2017 shows that 1,676,254 calls were offered in December 2017, the largest number of calls offered in a month since the NHS 111 collection began. Of the calls answered, almost four in every 10 patients (39.4%) who called NHS 111 received advice from a clinician, this is the highest number since this measure was first collected in November 2016. NHS 111 Online is a programme seeking to enable online access to urgent care. Four different digital products providing access to 111 were piloted regionally in 2017; two mobile apps and two responsive web-based tools. The pilots took place in Leeds (NHS Pathways Online), Suffolk (Expert 24), North London (Babylon) and the West Midlands (Sense.ly). NHS England has engaged a high level review of the local pilots to be undertaken by the Health Innovation Network. Further data on these services will continue to be gathered to monitor their effectiveness and to develop improvements to the offer.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking as a result of the latest evidence on the diagnosis and treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Steve Brine: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent expert body responsible for developing robust, evidence based guidance for the National Health Service to support it in designing services that are in line with the best available evidence. The NICE guideline Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy): Diagnosis and management of CFS/ME in adults and children sets outs best practice for clinicians on the diagnosis, treatment, care and support of people with the condition and assists commissioners in planning services for local populations. The full guideline can be found at the following link:www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg53NICE routintely reviews its guidance to ensure it reflects the lastest available evidence. On 20 September 2017, NICE announced its decision to undertake a full update of the CFS/ME guidance. More information on this decision can be found at the following link:www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg53/resources/surveillance-report-2017-chronic-fatigue-syndromemyalgic-encephalomyelitis-or-encephalopathy-diagnosis-and-management-2007-nice-guideline-cg53-pdf-5964455783941

Department of Health: Travel

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department has spent on (a) taxis, (b) first class train tickets and (c) business class air travel in each of the last four years.

Stephen Barclay: The information is provided in the table below.   2014201520162017Taxis£176,480£194,944£121,603£85,762First Class Train Tickets£44,862£31,539£22,743£7,109Business Class Air Travel£22,450£25,878£35,939£15,456Notes: Years are calendar year 1 January to 31 December.Rail figures based on invoice date and amount paid.Air figures based on invoice date and fare paid.